Bittersweet memories of lives cut short

In a Virginia garden, a family will hold a memorial service for a woman missing in the rubble at the Pentagon.

Her body has not been found, but the family desperately wants to find some way to honor her now. So Monday, they will celebrate a life in a garden that one woman, especially, loved dearly.

Thousands of other families across America, like those who loved the people on this page, are also remembering lives cut short.

Mary Lenz Wieman

There was a rumor that someone saw her. On Saturday, an ironworker called and said he had found her business card.

But this is what Lionel Lenz knows for certain: His daughter, Mary Lenz Wieman, 43, an Aon Corp. marketing executive who grew up in Arlington Heights, had gathered 40 people for a meeting about a new client Tuesday morning on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center's south tower.

After the plane hit the north tower, a co-worker and Wieman made it to the 78th floor. The co-worker took the stairs and made it out. Wieman opted for the elevator.

Lionel Lenz, his wife, Marianne, and their two sons drove from Arlington Heights to New York last week to wait with Wieman's husband and three children in their Rockville Centre, N.Y., home.

Lionel Lenz sees no point in making a missing poster for his daughter. He is sure she is dead.

The family has filled out the paperwork to identify her. She wore a blue square ring on her right hand, with the initials "SHM," for Sacred Heart of Mary High School, from which she graduated in 1976.

On Sunday, Lionel and Marianne Lenz went to the armory in New York to give DNA samples. They brought hair from their daughter's hairbrush.

David Rice

It had not been an easy life that brought David Rice, 31, to his job as an investment banker with an office on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center.

He was a C-minus high school student whose classmates elected him "most likely to succeed" because of the illegal warehouse parties he threw, profited from and was arrested for.

He was a drug and alcohol addict who flunked out of the University of Oklahoma, but who sobered uptwo years later, enrolled at Loyola University in Chicago, finished first in his class, won a Fulbright Scholarship, and got a master's degree from the prestigious London School of Economics.

"David was very human," said his brother, Andrew, 28. "You'd be having a lot of problems with him and he'd be driving you crazy, but you loved him to death."

He moved from Chicago to Evanston. He lived in Lake Forest until February, when his firm, Sandler O'Neill & Partners, transferred him to New York.

Before he died--his body was one of the first to be found--Rice had been sober for nine years and still was rediscovering himself.

His efforts had reached a pinnacle in recent weeks, family and friends say, that climaxed with his last phone call, to his parents, after the plane struck the north tower.

"They say we should stay here for now [in his office in the south tower]. It's really out of my control," his father, Hugh, recalled his son telling him Tuesday.

"He seemed at peace with himself," his father said.

Patricia Statz

After living in Germany for the past 17 years, Patricia Statz was thrilled to return to the U.S. and buy a house in Washington, D.C.

A student of theater and music who sang at many weddings, the married mother of two worked at the Pentagon for the past 18 months.

"One time we were traveling in Europe, and we were standing outside an old Gothic church," said her mother, JoAnn Statz of Chippewa Falls, Wis. "She said, `I always wanted to sing in one of these Gothic churches.' So she wandered into the balcony and she sang `Ave Maria.' It was beautiful."

Dominick Pezzulo

When they heard about the attack on the two buildings, Dominick Pezzulo and other Port Authority officers at a Midtown bus terminal commandeered a New York City bus to get downtown, said Gus Danese, president of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association.

Pezzulo, 36, arrived at the scene before either building collapsed and tried to rescue Sgt. John McLoughlin and Officer William Jimeo of the Port Authority police, who were trapped in the rubble from the initial explosions, Danese said.

While Pezzulo was trying to rescue the officers, the south tower collapsed, killing him, Danese said.

"The two people he attempted to take out of the rubble survived. They are currently in Bellvue Hospital," Danese said.

"When they did remove Officer Pezzulo's body, one of the rescue workers wrapped him in an American flag," Danese said. The flag was given to Pezzulo's wife, Jeanette.

George Howard

Officer George Howard, 44 was on his day off Tuesday from his job with the Port Authority police when he heard about the first attack at the World Trade Center.

"He called his command and they told him to come in, and they gave him a vehicle, and he went down to the WTC," said Danese.

Howard--who was married and the father of two boys--made it to the scene before either building collapsed, and like other Port Authority police, "he too was in a rescue operation when the buildings came down," and was trapped, Danese said.

Of the 37 Port Authority officers trapped in the trade center, only Howard's and Pezzulo's bodies had been found by Sunday afternoon, Danese said.

Kelly Ann Booms

More than 700 people attended the weekend memorial service for Kelly Ann Booms in her parents' hometown of Blue Ash, Ohio. After the packed service, tables, chairs, and food--many gifts of food--appeared at the Booms' home. Hundreds of people followed.

"We were overwhelmed. There were people I didn't even know who were there," said Richard L. Booms Sr., Kelly Ann's father. "It's just amazing what people are doing for us. You don't even ask--things you don't even think of--they're just done."

Booms, a 24-year-old employee of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, bound for California on a four-week assignment in Long Beach..

As the community rallied around the Booms family into the evening, friends from Kelly Ann's childhood in Michigan and high school years in Australia remembered her as vivacious, strong-willed and caring.

At her parents' home, the procession of well-wishers didn't end until after midnight.

Al Braca
David Meyer

They were best friends, as close as possible in the fierce world of corporate bond trading. Al Braca and David Meyer came to Cantor Fitzgerald almost 16 years ago as a package deal from another company. They sat next to each other on the 105th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center. They called each other "partner," although the company didn't use such titles. When one wasn't making enough money on trades, the other covered for him.

Of the 700 people at work at Cantor Fitzgerald on Tuesday, none survived.

Jean Braca said her husband was on the telephone with a client when the plane hit the 90th floor. The client heard the explosion.

At home, Meyer, 57, danced with his toddler granddaughter to "The Wiggles." On Sundays, he and his wife, Margie, used to go to church, eat breakfast at the Daily Treat, go food shopping and come home.

Braca, 54, a deacon in his church, was called "The Reverend" at work. Before leaving for work Tuesday, he told his wife she needed to get up. She opened her eyes and watched him walk out the bedroom door, the back of his head, his white hair.

The 45-year-old husband and father of four had been placed on light duty with a shoulder injury and was giving a TV interview at Rockefeller Center when he saw the first airliner strike the World Trade Center on the camera crew's television. York headed for the scene, hopping on an ambulance.

He had just reached the fire command post when Tower Two collapsed. York is presumed dead.

"He saw that this had happened and he couldn't sit still," said York's mother-in-law, Rosemary Abruzzino.Abruzzino said her son-in-law had a passion for life, his family and his job.

"I know people say only good things about people after they die, but in his case, we don't have to embellish anything," she said. "He was a great man and a tremendous father to his children."

Among York's interests was kayaking, and he had planned a trip Wednesday. He had started a kayaking club for firefighters and dubbed it "Blazing Paddles."

Richard Keane

A avid gardener, frequent traveler and the father of five grown sons, Richard Keane, 54, of Wethersfield, Conn., was the type of person who knew everyone in the airport lounge. "He loved to tell stories," said Judy, his wife of 31 years. "He'd have everyone's business card before even getting on the flight."

Keane also had a penchant for building stone walls, moving rocks, planting flowers and singing in the church choir.

Normally, Keane took the bus to his office in Hartford, Conn. If he had a business meeting in New York--and he hadn't for a year--it generally was in Midtown. But on Tuesday, Keane was on the 99th floor of the World Trade Center because a colleague needed his help, his wife said.

Neilie Casey
Linda George
Lisa Fenn Gordenstein
Susan MacKay

Neilie Casey, 32, of Wellesley, Mass., had just returned to work at TJX Co. in July from maternity leave and was the mother of 6-month-old Riley.

She was travelling to Los Angeles aboard American Airlines Flight 11 with several other women from TJX to open a new T.J. Maxx outlet.

Casey, a runner and golfer, married her college sweetheart, Michael, and the couple moved to Wellesley. For the past eight years, Casey worked as a merchandise planning manager. "Neilie was such a positive, upbeat and radiant person," TJX President Ted English wrote in a statement. "She was so bright; nothing was too much for her. She loved to teach. She wore a constant smile."

Linda George, 27, of Westboro, Mass, was preparing for her upcoming wedding to another TJX associate, Jeffrey Pereira. The couple had been saving to buy their first house. "She was the most thoughtful, beautiful woman that I've ever met," Pereira said.

Lisa Fenn Gordenstein, 41, of Needham, Mass., was an assistant vice president and merchandise manager and had been with TJX for 17 years. Warm and caring, Gordenstein was the manager others went to for help and had "a heart as big as the ocean" according to English. The mother of two children and wife of David Gordenstein, she was remembered by neighbors as the kind of person who would never just wave, but would pull her car over to say hello.

Susan MacKay, 44, of Westford, Mass., was known for her warm smile and had a personality that added to the culture of the company, coworkers said. She worked as an assistant vice president of merchandise planning and allocation, and had been with TJX for 11 years. MacKay was married and had two children. "She just had a way of bringing people together in the company," Pereira said. "She was very respected."

Barbara Keating

After her husband's death, Barbara Keating moved from Cape Cod to Palm Springs, Calif.

Every summer she returned to Massachusetts for a few months to visit. This summer, though, would be her last, she said, because her friends in Massachusetts were dwindling.

On her flight back to California, Keating died when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

"She was a wonderful woman, always had a smile on her face," said Rev. Philip Behan, pastor of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Palm Springs.

Keating, 72, worked as a receptionist at the parish office. She could often be seen driving around Palm Springs in a red convertible sports car, always with the top down.

"Usually, she and a few other women would be driving around, even in the winter when it gets sort of cold, she had that top down," Behan said. "She also liked to celebrate. Her drink was always a martini with extra olives."

Dan Lee

Dan Lee boarded a plane early Tuesday morning so he could be at his wife's side in California as she gave birth to their second child.

The 34-year-old Van Nuys man was on American Airlines Flight 11. His wife, Kellie, spent the day praying he had missed his plane. But the set carpenter for the Backstreet Boys tour had not.

The couple had been together 10 years and married for six years, his wife said. He still opened car doors for her and kissed her over the table at restaurants. Although he traveled the world as a roadie for acts including Yanni, 'N Sync and Barbra Streisand, Lee called his wife three to four times a day to tell her he loved her.

On Thursday, Kellie gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She gave her the first name the couple had picked out together--Allison. But Kellie gave her a different middle name, Danielle, to honor her late husband.

Linda Gronlund
Joe DeLuca

Linda Gronlund was a sailor, a scuba diver, a brown belt in karate, a lawyer, a car mechanic, a gardener, a photographer, a gourmet cook, a guitarist, an emergency medical technician and a volunteer with autistic children. She planned to start piano lessons in the fall. As manager of environmental compliance for BMW, she spearheaded the development of a hydrogen-fueled car.

Gronlund of Greenwood Lake, N.Y., would have turned 47 on Thursday. She was flying to San Francisco to celebrate in wine country with her boyfriend, Joe DeLuca. They met because they both loved car racing.

On Tuesday morning, Gronlund called her sister, Elsa Strong, from the airport. She was excited about taking a vacation.

Strong went to a meeting at her son's school. She heard about the World Trade Center and the hijacked planes. She rushed home, hoping that her sister had left a message, saying she was stranded at the airport.

Strong saw the blinking red light on the answering machine and pushed play. It was her sister, angry. She said she was on Flight 93 and the plane had been hijacked by terrorists with a bomb. Gronlund said others had already taken out the World Trade Center.

She said how much she loved her sister, how much she loved her parents. She said she was going to miss Strong so much.

"And then she said goodbye," Strong said. Fifteen minutes after the message was left, the plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

Lt. Cmdr. Otis Tolbert Jr.

Lt. Cmdr. Otis Tolbert Jr., a 39-year-old husband and father of three, was a Navy intelligence officer at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Tolbert had been a standout high school football player, and his duties with the Navy included working with aircraft carriers as an intelligence officer, according to the Los Angeles Times. His father was one of the first black pilots to fly an A-7 jet, and he grew up in Lemoore, Calif..

David Barkway

David Barkway of Toronto was traveling in New York on business with his pregnant wife and was on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center when American Airlines Flight 11 hit. He has not been heard from since, said his father, Rev. Peter Barkway of Cornwall, Ontario.

His wife, who is expecting the couple's second child, was not at the World Trade Center.

"He was loving it, looking forward to being a dad again," Peter Barkway said from his home in Canada.

Barkway, 34, is employed by BMO Nesbitt Burns of Toronto, an investment firm.

Kris Romeo Bishundat

Kris Romeo Bishundat joined the U.S. Navy six years ago, two days before his 18th birthday.

In those six years, the native of Waldorf, Md., has traveled around the world on two tours.

"He was just happy he got to see the world, doing what he liked to do, always on the go," a sister said from the family's Maryland home. Bishundat, an information systems technician 2nd class, is assigned to the Pentagon. He gave few details to his family about his duties. Bishundat is among those missing in the Pentagon.

His 24th birthday was Friday.

Martha Reszke

Martha Reszke's family thinks it will be weeks--if not longer--before her remains can be turned over to them. Nevertheless, they will hold a memorial service Monday in the backyard garden of her Stafford, Va., home.

Reszke, 56, was a civilian budget analyst for the U.S. Army, and her first floor office at the Pentagon was directly below where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed.

She was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, but moved to the United States in 1961 after her mother married an American Army soldier.

She was a graduate of Texas Christian University and had worked as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense since marrying Jim Reszke--now retired from the Army--in 1979.

She had worked in the Pentagon since 1993.

On Thursday, a military casualty assistance officer visited Jim to tell him what he had known instinctively. What remains that can be found will be turned over to him after they are identified.

"We're going to have a memorial service anyway, because we've got to have closure,"Jim Reszke said. "When we do get the remains, we're going to have another small ceremony with just the immediate family."

Both ceremonies will be next to the garden Martha Reszke, the mother of two and grandmother of five, loved so much.

Michell Robotham

Wisconsin native Michell Robotham had worked as a manager of the help desk at Aon Corp. in the World Trade Center for two years, leaving the Midwest for the job with the insurance giant. She is among those missing at the trade center.

Until moving to New Jersey two years ago, Robotham lived in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Clintonville; she attended high school in Neehan. She has a 5-year-old daughter.

"Her hobby was taking care of her daughter and making sure she had everything she needed," said brother Travis Callum.

Brian A. Moss

For much of the past three years, Brian A. Moss helped train the U.S. Navy honor guard. A month ago, he was posted at the Pentagon.

Tuesday morning, the 34-year-old Washington D.C. resident and his wife gave each other a kiss as usual, then went to work. His hometown of Sperry, Okla., decorated a flag-draped pickup truck in his honor at its homecoming parade during the weekend.

For the past 10 years, Moss made the U.S. Navy his life. The electronics technician 2nd class (submarine) was the Naval District Washington Sailor of the Year.

"He was Mr. Navy," said his best friend and naval colleague, James Jeffery.The spirited, outgoing Moss was a father of two.

Brian P. Dale

As far as his family knew Tuesday morning, Brian P. Dale was safe in Los Angeles.

That's where he was supposed to have flown Monday night. But the Warren, N.J., man instead opted to fly out Tuesday morning. His family learned he was on American Airlines Flight 11 when his wife called the airline.

"We all went from thinking he was OK to finding out he was missing--not missing, gone, dead," said his brother, Kevin.

The 43-year-old father of three was traveling on business, something he did often as a founder of a New York City-based investment firm, Blue Capital Management.

Dale loved camping and boating. "He was very focused on family--work and family," his brother said.